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However, things could have turned out very differently if the 20-year-old had opted for a move to East London instead.

Iwobi trained with the capital rivals simultaneously when he was a child and received contract offers from both.

But he insists he could never have turned down Arsenal as they are a ‘bigger club’ than West Ham, telling Match of the Day magazine: “Arsenal and West Ham were interested in me and Chuba [Akpom], so we were training with both clubs for three years because we were scouted at six and you can’t sign until you’re nine.

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Arsene Wenger reckons Iwobi can become Arsenal's new central playmaker

“I decided to sign for Arsenal because I supported them back then and I always saw them as the bigger club – no disrespect to West Ham.”

Iwobi has been flourishing on the wings for Arsenal, but has more recently taken up a central position.

And Wenger feels he has all the characteristics to become the team’s new playmaker, explaining: “Yes he can play in a central role, you see that he is not a typical winger. He turns the game forward, he passes the ball through the lines very well, he has a final ball in him.

“I think he has all in the locker to pass and give the final ball – what you want from him now is the finishing, and that’s still a little part that is missing in his game. He is too nervous at the moment when he has the possibility to finish.”